CLEAR/CALM: Naturopathic Foundations - Hormonal Balance Castor Oil Basics PDF plus Breast Health Application
Here’s a basic PDF handout for you that goes into the how to of using castor oil for healing, supporting immune health, detoxification, gut health and decreasing inflammation. For the rest of this blog I focus on castor oil packs as a powerful tool for breast health.
Castor Oil Packs for Breast Health? … YES!
When you apply castor oil to your breast tissue it improves the circulation and lymphatic drainage of the breast, improving the elimination of toxins and bringing more nutrition for repair, immune health and maintenance. This equals improved health.
Castor oil is truly such a simple way to improve the health of the breast (and any) tissue whether you are looking to change an existing condition of the breast or for preventative maintenance.
What You Do
You can place the pack (basically a folded piece of flannel with castor oil poured on it) oil side down on your breasts while lying down (and doing a yoga nidra - my recommendation) or you can place the flannel with castor oil in an old bra and wear it around the house as you do normal household activities. The heat of the body is enough to keep the action of the packs going over the breast tissue.
Note: Castor oil is sticky and stains which is why it’s recommended to put a plastic bag/saran wrap or nowadays even a beeswax wrap lol(!) on top of the pack to keep your clothes/bedding from being stained. I usually have an old towel that I lay underneath me that helps keep any mess contained.
Good News
You do not need to remake a new castor oil pack every time! Whew. Yes. simply store all your castor oil things together in a plastic bag/glass container. It’s good for 25 applications with you just topping up the amount of oil on the flannel by a little more before reapplying it.
And extra good news is that castor oil stains can be removed. To do that wash your skin or affected clothing/linen in a solution of 3 tablespoons baking soda to 1 quart of water. (-:
How often do I use my Castor Oil Pack?
This depends. It’s best to ask your Naturopathic Doctor for specific instructions but typically, 1-3 times per week when actively trying to improve a breast condition is a good place to start.
For health promotion, a castor oil pack can be done once per month a week or so before your cycle starts.
To your wellness! xo,
“8 out of 9 women will have healthy breasts for their lifetime, we’re rooting for 9!” Dr. Monika, founding member of the Pink & Green Ribbon Initiative empowering women to care for themselves including their breasts and to understand the link between women’s health and the health of our environment.
Dr. Monika Herwig ND is a Naturopathic Doctor, mother of 2, and a Health & Happiness Coach for Women. She practices Mind-Body Medicine especially around Adrenal, Gut and Mental Health in her clinic and leads Women Empowerment and Wellness Workshops and Retreats locally and internationally. Dr. Monika supports heart centered women shine their light and share their gifts with the world without burning out. Self-connection, nourishment and care are at the core of this. She is especially passionate about supporting moms and runs yearly Fairy Nature Camps for her clients’ children (and herself!).
